10th September 2008 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – NO EMBARGO

Phone: 07775 654 500
Email contact:  media@thecoalhole.org

Coal Protest Hits the Cardiff Hilton

Merthyr Tydfil residents and climate change campaigners staged disruptive protests at the Cardiff Hilton today during the AGM of the UK Coal Authority.

Three campaigners scaled the main entrance of the luxury hotel and hung a banner reading “Coal: Leave it in the Ground”, while others inside the conference challenged coal industry delegates on their industry’s record of environmental damage.
During the industry body’s “environmental awards” presentation, local residents affected by the Ffos-y-Fran opencast mining scheme interrupted proceedings to present developers Miller Argent with their own award - the “Community Award for Global Climate Crimes”.

“I wanted to make clear to James Poyner of Miller Argent the misery he is bringing to our community,” said Merthyr Tydfil resident Alyson Austin. “The Ffos-y-Fran mine is a two hundred metre deep hole, only thirty-five metres from our houses, and the coal they are digging out is causing dangerous climate change. We are disgusted that local democracy has been ignored, and Miller Argent has not been challenged by the Welsh Assembly, despite their promises to us to take environmental issues seriously.”

The UK Coal Authority is a government-funded body tasked with promoting and supporting the UK coal industry. Their AGM features sessions on expanding opencast mining, lengthening the lifespan of aging power stations, and a range of other controversial activities carried out by the industry, which has faced widespread opposition over the past year to its plans for a new generation of coal-fired power stations, and ongoing expansion of opencast mining across the country.

“Taxpayer-funded bodies like the Government’s Coal Authority should not be allowed to collude with big companies to cause disaster for local communities across the country, and disaster for the planet,” said Swansea resident and environmental campaigner James Bryant, speaking outside the Hilton. “At a time when climate change and rising fossil fuel prices are top of the political agenda, it seems amazing that the coal industry can still have cosy meetings about how great business is with no mention of the bigger picture.”

INTERVIEWS: Interviews are available with the protesters, in both Welsh and English

PHOTOS: Professional, high-resolution images and high-quality video are available of the protest